Trudy Ann Griffin-Pierce (December 27, 1949 – January 6, 2009) was an American

medical anthropologist Medical anthropology studies "human health and disease, health care systems, and biocultural adaptation". It views humans from multidimensional and ecological perspectives. It is one of the most highly developed areas of anthropology and applied ...

, writer and artist. At the time of her death she was an

associate professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. Overview In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a ...

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...

at the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...

Biography

Trudy Ann Griffin was born 27 December 1949 in

Spartanburg, South Carolina Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...

. She was of Catawba Indian heritage, and from a young age was fascinated with the

Navajo people The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...

. Her father was in the

U.S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

, which saw the family move regularly. Her mother died when Griffin was 16. Griffin graduated from

Florida State University Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...

with a

bachelor of fine arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases. Background The Bachelor ...

. Whilst a student she contacted the chairman of the Navajo Tribe, Raymond Nakai, asking to join a Navajo family. She was put in touch with a family in

Many Farms, Arizona Many Farms ( nv, ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Apache County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,348 at the 2010 census. Geography Many Farms is located at (36.359870, -109.628053). According to the United States Census ...

who informally adopted her, and taught her the

Navajo language Navajo or Navaho (; Navajo: or ) is a Southern Athabaskan language of the Na-Dené family, through which it is related to languages spoken across the western areas of North America. Navajo is spoken primarily in the Southwestern United States ...

and culture. Griffin enrolled at the University of Arizona to study fine arts, before switching and graduating with a MA in

museum studies Museology or museum studies is the study of museums. It explores the history of museums and their role in society, as well as the activities they engage in, including curating, preservation, public programming, and education. Terminology The w ...

in 1970. Griffin worked as a curator at the

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, located in Albuquerque, is owned and operated by the 19 Indian Pueblos of New Mexico and dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of Pueblo Indian Culture, History and Art. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Cente ...

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

, and then at

Kitt Peak National Observatory The Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) is a United States astronomy, astronomical observatory located on Kitt Peak of the Quinlan Mountains in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert on the Tohono Oʼodham Nation, west-southwest of Tucson, Arizona. With ...

. At Kitt Peak she met solar astronomer

Keith Pierce Austin Keith Pierce (October 2, 1918 – March 11, 2005) was an American solar astronomer. Pierce played a key role in the development of the McMath–Pierce solar telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. Biography Austin Keith ...

, whom she married in 1979. Griffin-Pierce returned to the University of Arizona to work on a doctorate in

cultural anthropology Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans. It is in contrast to social anthropology, which perceives cultural variation as a subset of a posited anthropological constant. The portma ...

, graduating in 1987. The same year she joined the faculty of the University of Arizona specialising in

medical anthropology Medical anthropology studies "human health and disease, health care systems, and biocultural adaptation". It views humans from multidimensional and ecological perspectives. It is one of the most highly developed areas of anthropology and applied ...

and native cultures. She wrote six books on

Native American culture Native American cultures across the United States are notable for their wide variety and diversity of lifestyles, regalia, art forms and beliefs. The culture of indigenous North America is usually defined by the concept of the Pre-Columbian ...

, the final book published posthumously. Griffin-Pierce died at home January 6, 2009 aged 59. Her papers are held by the University of Arizona.

Books

* ''Earth Is My Mother, Sky Is My Father: Space, Time, and Astronomy in Navajo Sandpainting'' (1992) * '' The Encyclopedia of Native America'' (1995) * '' Native America: Enduring Cultures and Traditions'' (1996) * '' Native Peoples of the Southwest'' (2000) * ''Chiricahua Apache Enduring Power: Naiches Puberty Ceremony Paintings'' (2006) * '' The Columbia guide to American Indians of the Southwest'' (2010)

Biography

Books

References

Further reading